Beautiful Dream
by Draconsis
Summary: [Aya x Ken] A female agent has to room with Weiss due to complications in Kyoto. What changes will she bring to Weiss and Schwarz? A tale of courage, friendship, family and love. R+R Onegai!
1. Mission 01: Prologue

Hello Minna! I'm Draconsis, and here is my first attempt at a Weiss fic… It's also my first attempt at a yaoi fic, so… yeah. ^_^;;;

Just so y'all know, I only watched the series itself, no ova, and no gluhen. And I watched it subbed in Chinese, which isn't exactly one of my strong subjects… To make things worse, it's in a more complicated version of Chinese than the one I'm learning. Therefore, I may get some bits wrong… ehehehehehe… And I have never learnt German as a language (or Japanese for the matter…), so expect lots of funny errors. But I do have a English-German/German-English dictionary. *smiles*

Err, just to make things clear… This story picks up roughly 4 months after the ending of the series, and I have taken several… liberties… in my fic. So in this fic, Aya-chan is studying in a boarding school, so Aya (Ran) visits her on Saturdays or Sundays… We shall assume Tomoe Sakura is out of the picture. *Insane nodding* And Weiss don't know that Schwarz is still alive…

So, minna enjoy the fic! 

^_^V

Beta read by Sansele

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"……" Speech

(……) Authors Notes/ Comments

[……] Thoughts

((……)) Sounds

*……* Actions/Emotions

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[I do not own Weiss Kreuz]

[Original characters, plotline, etc are the intellectual property of Draconsis]

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**Draconsis Presents:**

**A Draconsis Fanfiction**

Beautiful Dream 

**[Mission 01: Prologue]**

_Why must I awake, though this night is tormenting?_

_Only to forget 'til another dream_

_As my tears rain down, am I truly lamenting?_

_I can't even tell if you're all you seem _

_All that I request is you'll be in my dreams, dear_

_Wear that dress for me and for me alone._

_When I must awake, I can still see you stand there,_

_Laughing at my pain as I fall back down. _

_Why must I awake, though this night is tormenting?_

Only to forget 'til another dream 

~Weiss Kreuz – Other Side of the Moon

The five hundred yen coin spiraled down the slot, the display on the vending machine duly confirming the fact. Jade green eyes surveyed the choices, a slender finger then making the selection. The can of green tea popped out with a 'clunk', pale fingers encircled it. The index finger slid under the tab from the back, and with a practiced flip, the can popped open. 

The teenaged girl drank deeply from the can, shielding her eyes from the bright Tokyo sun. 

_[Oh yes. Transfer me in from Kyoto, find a group of drop-dead gorgeous assassins, and somehow introduce myself to them without getting a katana or two stuck in my side. Mein Gott.]_

She crushed the can, tossing it backwards. The can bounced off the wall, landing in a dustbin with a metallic crash.

_[Damn Kritiker.]_

-~=*[^]*=~-

"Ken-kun." Poke.

_"Oh, it's Henry! Thierry Henry for Arsenal! He's past the defenders, oh what a dodge!"_

"KEN-KUNNNNN!!!!" More pokes.

_"Oh, oh, OH! It's just the goalie left, he twists to the right - AND HE SHOOTS!!!"_

"HIDAKA KEN!"

The said assassin toppled out of bed, landing unceremoniously in a heap of discarded clothes. Ken groggily sat up, blinking at the annoying voice.

Omi impatiently glared at the older assassin, watching as Ken lugged himself back onto the bed and tried to return to his dream. Placing his mouth just above Ken's ear, Omi took a deep breath.

"KEN!"

"GAH!" Ken bolted upright, his head knocking into Omi's chin. Omi fell backwards onto the floor, the thump echoing through the apartment.

"Itai…" Ken sat up and rubbed his head. "It was such a nice dream…" He glared balefully at Omi, before realizing he had injured the other. Siberian grinned sheepishly.

"Heh, gomen." He helped Omi up from the floor. Omi just glared back at him.

"I am never, ever waking you up again, no matter how much Aya-san is hell bent on killing you for being late for your shift." Omi said.

Ken gapped and stared at the football-shaped clock on his wall. Eight-thirty am. His shift started at eight, sharp. 

"Oh no." _[Aya is going to shish kebab me.]_

Ken hurriedly flung on some clothes, not bothering if they matched or not. _[Then he's going to use me for katana practice, then he's gonna -]_ He grabbed fresh socks from a drawer, thanking Omi as he rushed out of the room.

Omi grinned. The youngest assassin then lifted Ken's clock off the wall, before turning it back to the proper time, seven forty-five am. 

-~=*[^]*=~-

She sighed as she got off the subway, glad to leave the crush of human bodies. _[The trains in Kyoto are nowhere as packed as these.] _She checked the slip of paper again, noting down the address as well as directions.

Hefting her overnight bag, Akizaki Kaede made her way through the twisting maze of streets, her green eyes flitting from one shadowy area to the next.

_[Stop it.]_ She berated herself. _[This isn't Kyoto.]_

Her black jacket billowed around her, the sudden breeze tousling her long, messy hair. Such a pale shade of brown, almost a dark orange, it was held back unsuccessfully in a ponytail. She brushed the stray strands from her face, once again launching into a mental tirade against her company, if you could call it that.

_[We'll try to get someone to give them a message, but go there first, show your ID.]_ She mentally mimicked the voice of their contact. _[They have many spare rooms, and this is a direct order. They can't turn you down.]_ She huffed. _[Turn me down? Ha! More like butcher me.]_

Fujimiya Aya. Hidaka Ken. Tsukiyono Omi. Kudou Youji. The legendary Weiss, the best team of assassins Kritiker ever had.

_[And they just want me to go up to them, wave this sorry excuse for an official letter in their face, and room with them till Kyoto quietens down. PAH.]_

Agent Tsubasa, or _Fittich_e, from the _Traum _group based in Kyoto, Kritiker's only all-female group. Currently in her third year of high school, the eighteen year old spoke fluent Japanese, English and German.

_[It's not like I mind rooming with them, but I believe things should be done properly…]_

An unnatural flash of red caught her eye, and she did a double take. It was her, unquestionably. No one else had such red hair, or had such a hairstyle.

_[Manx-san?]_

-~=*[^]*=~-

Ken blinked. The clock in the shop said it wasn't even eight o'clock. But his clock… This was most confusing.

Aya was already setting up the shop, the pale morning sunlight glinting off his solitary earring. The shop was pleasantly cool, a nice change from the hot summer air. Some of their customers were already lined up outside, giggling and blushing.

Suddenly, Omi burst into the shop, crashing into Ken. They landed in a heap on the floor.

Outside, the fangirls tittered.

Inside, Aya looked annoyed.

Ken and Omi scrambled off the floor, Ken attempting to glare at Omi. 

Omi rolled his eyes at the other assassin. "Manx is here."

As they left the shop, amidst grumbles from the fangirls, Omi poked Ken in the side.

"That was revenge for just now."

"Humph."

-~=*[^]*=~-

"WHAT!?" Youji's shades slipped down his nose bridge.

Manx looked annoyed. "Another agent is coming to room with all of you. Today." 

Weiss was gathered in the missions room, the large-screen television switched off, for once. Ken and Omi sat on a couch, while Aya leaned against the spiral staircase. Youji was currently standing up, staring in disbelief at Manx.

"But…"

"No buts." Manx shushed him. "This is what the spare rooms upstairs were meant for, and this is a direct order." She glared at Youji. "Her belongings are in storage at the nearby train station, one of you will have to accompany her to pick them up." 

Manx strode across the room, handing a Polaroid to Aya. "This is a fairly recent snapshot of her, and if she hasn't arrived by midnight tonight, please contact us."

Aya studied the snapshot without much interest. She looked just like any other schoolgirl, dressed in a red and white school uniform. His brows furrowed just a tiny bit. She looked like someone familiar, he just couldn't place who…

Abruptly, Youji snatched the photo out of his hands. The skirt chaser whistled.

"A babe." He brightened up, grinning. "Maybe having her room with us won't be so bad after all." He flashed a smile at their ex-contact. "Ne, Manx, can she move into _my _room?"

Ken threw a cushion at him.

Manx smirked as Youji glared at Ken. "The last guy who tried something like that on her landed in a hospital. I advise you not to mess with Tsubasa."

Youji slung one arm around Manx. "Oh well. There's always you."

The redhead shrugged off his arm. "Best open shop, Weiss. The fangirls are getting restless."

-~=*[^]*=~-

Kaede blinked. _[Whoa. Javanese said they were popular, but not_ this _popular.]_

It had only been fifteen minutes since Weiss had opened up the Koneko, but the endless tide of schoolgirls hadn't dissipated at all. She checked her watch. At this rate, half of them would be late for school. 

She was seated at the small café near the Koneko, giving her a full view of the shop. A half-full cup of tea and an empty plate lay on the table, a book spread out before her.

A red motorbike was wheeled out from the side entrance to the shop, the blond handling it calling out a goodbye to his partners. Blond hair, blue eyes, shorter than the brunette and the redhead inside the shop. That would be Tsukiyono Omi then, or Bombay, going off to school.

The redhead was outside watering the flowers, wearing a vermilion shirt that matched his hair. Abyssinian, Fujimiya Ran, or Fujimiya Aya. That left the brunette alone in the shop, to manage the horde of love struck schoolgirls. Hidaka Ken, Siberian.

Kaede twitched. Wasn't Weiss made up of four members? Well, at least she could recognize three of them, so the fourth was a simple matter of elimination. He was supposed to be a blond as well, but with shoulder-length hair. Kudou Youji, Balinese.

She had timed the moment to perfection. 

Tsubasa turned around, a smile gracing her features. "Manx-san. Ohayo gonzaimasu."

Manx very nearly jumped backwards. She had noticed the girl, since it was quite obvious that the brunette wasn't reading her book, but rather spying on Weiss. On further inspection, it was indeed Tsubasa, or Akizaki Kaede. But the agent shouldn't have been able to hear or see her coming. Manx was very adept at that.

"Kaede." Manx nodded, seating herself in the chair opposite from the assassin. "I see you have noticed Weiss."

Kaede grinned. Everything became better once you had some food in your stomach. "It's kinda hard not to."

Manx gestured to the waiter, who came forward to take her order. "Why haven't you contacted them yet?"

"Now isn't exactly the best time." She gestured towards the schoolgirls.

Manx laughed. "Shouldn't you be in school yourself, Kaede?"

The assassin cheerfully grinned back. "Nope. The school thinks we're moving house, so I have a week off before I have to report back."

"Your school results had better not suffer from this, Kaede. Does Javanese know about this?" Manx stirred her coffee, the warm smell permeating the air.

"Javanese arranged it." Kaede closed her book, placing it back into her bag. "Besides, my track record at the Kyoto branch of the school was flawless. Surely I'm entitled to a short break?" Kaede grinned cheekily back at the redhead.

Manx smiled. "Good luck with them, Kaede."

Kaede looked back at the shop, groaning in despair. "I'm going to need it."

-~=*[^]*=~-

Ken collapsed onto the counter; dead beat from the crazy fangirls. "You'd think they don't have school, the way they hang around here."

He was met with a barely audible snort from Aya, the leader of Weiss now sweeping the floor of the Koneko.

Ken sighed as he looked at Aya. Aya was still as cold as the time before they had rescued Aya-chan. Well, maybe not as cold as that, but he certainly hadn't thawed out. It was hard to believe that the smiling, joking Ran from Aya-chan's memories and this cold statue were the one and the same.

This Aya was cold, unsmiling. A merciless killer, with a Katana upstairs that had probably seen more blood than a butcher's knife. All of Ken's attempts to draw the old Ran out, to overcome the barriers that Aya had erected between himself and outside world, all of them had been fruitless. A human ice cube, with just that small melting area for Aya-chan. Aya was probably so emotionless that he wouldn't blink an eye if someone told him that they had loved him with all of their heart for the past six months.

That someone just happened to be Hidaka Ken.

The bell to the front door jingled. Ken groaned. It was past nine now, there shouldn't _be_ any schoolgirls out this late…He twisted his head to look at their customer.

"Manx?" Ken bolted upright. 

"Right you are, Ken." Manx strode into the shop, carefully wiping her high-heeled shoes on the mat. Behind her was a girl, of around eighteen or so, he brown hair catching the sunlight, making it appear orange. A silver tag hung from her neck, and he could just make out the phrase 'Yume02' engraved on one side.

"Minna, this is Tsubasa." Manx introduced their new flat mate.

Tsubasa bowed, smiling at them. "I'm Akizaki Kaede, from _Traum. _Please to meet you." She turned to Aya. "Fujimiya-san." She then turned to him. "Hidaka-san."

_[Ah well. She seems nice enough.]_

He smiled back at her. 

"Welcome to Weiss, Tsubasa."

-~=*[  To Be Continued ]*=~-

Translations 

Mien Gott – [German] My God.

Tsubasa – [Japanese] Wing

Fittiche – [German] Wings

Traum – [German] Dream

Ohayo Gonzaimasu – [Japanese] Good Morning

So how was it? ^_^ Reviewwwwwwww…

I'll only continue this if I get 4 reviews. FOUR. (Or three if they all beg like mad…) It's not that I don't want to write; it's just that my other fics need attention… (Fushigi Yuugi fics anyone?) And real life is super demanding… So y'all have to review to read, not just read and review. 

Muses: Cornyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy… 

If there's anything you're unclear about, just mention it in the review and I'll answer you, okay? ^_^

More reviews make me write faster too…

Ja ne!

Draconsis, 10.35pm, 18th March 2003

†    †    †    †

Youji: It's a new tomorrow for Weiss, with no Schwarz on the horizon.

Omi: Akizaki Kaede brings a fresh breath to the Koneko, and new complications.

Ken: Matters of the heart and matters of the blood.

Aya: Can killers find Happiness, or is it a fantasy?

Weiss: Will this all end as a Beautiful Dream?

†    †    †    †


	2. Mission 02: Like a Rose

Uwah! I'm soooooooooo sorry I haven't updated in like, forever. ^_^;;; Real life is getting more demanding year by year… And I'm a senior now, and my seniors have stopped coming for Club since they have exams… and we have competitions… @_@ Vicious cycle. Feel free to bombard me via email if you can't stand the wait.   
  
I LOVE ALL OF YOUUUUUU!!!!! I've never had such a well-received fic before… so it was a major ego boost! *heart heart* Thank youuuuuuu!!! I even received an archive request! So I'm really, really happy, and I'll definitely continue this fic all the way to the end! Yakusoku!   
  
So this chapter is dedicated to every single of one you who reviewed, namely: asami, Misura, Uzumaki, Jenken, Airienn de Puck, chibi koneko, Heather, olivia-yuymaxwell, Literary Eagle, SnoOza, Pocky King Windy and Sumire! And of course, not forgetting my beta, Sansele! RanKen forever!!!!!! *waves banners*   
  
Enjoy the ficcy!!!   
  
^_^V   
  
++++++++++++   
Review Replies:   
  
Asami: Thankkkkk youuuuu!!!   
  
Misura: Glad you like the morning wake up scene. (Everyone seems to have. ^_^) There will be more Youji in this chapter, and you all will most definitely find out more about Kaede. Your stories rock, by the way. ^_^   
  
Uzumaki: ^_^ Glad you like Kaede, I thought I might have over killed on the dialogue… Thank you for all the wonderful comments!   
  
JenKen: Well, I have thirteen now… @_@ Nearly died out of happiness… Thank You!   
  
Airienn de Puck: Yep, going on! ^_^   
  
Chibi koneko: Well, the wait is over. (For this chapter at least. ^_^;;;) Banner waving is fun isn't it? ^_^   
  
Heather: Well, hope the wait didn't kill you. ^_^ You actually noticed I used "missions" instead of "chapters"!!! Wheeeee!!!   
  
Olivia-yuymaxwell: I'm continuing, I'm continuing. ^_^ Heh, RanKen forever!   
  
Sansele (The beta reader): I know I need to improve. ^^;;; Well, apparently the RanKen bits did improved, based on your comments of this chappie… And Kaede isn't anything like Sho Fei! Different! Different!   
  
Literary Eagle: Everybody seems to have liked it. ^_^   
  
SnoOza: First Hanakimi, now X… I'm worried. O.O And RanKen forever, baka! *smacks* (It's okay, she's my school friend…)   
  
Pocky King Windy: Yep, football is fun! Well, more reviews make me happier… Currently the biggest writing obstacle is school… *sobs*   
  
Sumire: ^_^ Updated! Ta da~~~!!!   
++++++++++   
Beta read by Sansele   
  


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"……" Speech  
(……) Authors Notes/ Comments  
[……] Thoughts (in italics)  
((……)) Sounds  
//……// Telepathy (in italics)   
  


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[Weiss Kreuz is the property of Koyasu Takehito and Project Weiss]  
[Original characters, plotline, etc are the intellectual property of Draconsis]   
  
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** Candela Studios Presents:   
  
A Draconsis Fanfiction   
  
Beautiful Dream   
  
[Mission 02: Like a Rose]**   
_ You treat me like a rose  
You give me room to grow  
You shone the light of love on me  
And gave me air so I can breathe  
You open doors that close  
In a world where anything goes  
You give me strength so I stand tall  
Within this bed of earth  
Just like a rose _   
  
~ A1 – Like a Rose 

  
"No way!"   
  
"Yes way."   
  
"Noooo way!"   
  
"Yes way."   
  
"No- OW!" Youji rubbed his head, glaring first at Kaede, then at the cushion she had chucked at him.   
  
"Yes, Kudou, I painted that, full stop." Kaede smirked at him.   
  
The two were in her room, the blond having volunteered to help her arrange her things. They had just finished hanging a painting onto the wall opposite the window, the afternoon sunlight filtering in through the windows. The brunette lounged in a swivel chair, the desk behind it already littered with various papers.   
  
The painting in question was actually one painting and four sketches, the smaller sketches mounted on either side of the larger painting. The sketches depicted a young fox, either running, hiding, playing or hunting. The main painting showed the same fox, but this time it was asleep on a windowsill, a knocked-over vase of lilies lying beside it.   
  
"You're joking." Youji took a step closer to the painting, scrutinizing it carefully. "It looks professional."   
  
Kaede shook her head. "Bottom right of the main painting."   
  
The blondes' eyes fell onto a signature, written both in Kanji and Romanji. "Akizaki Kaede." He turned back to face her, grinning. "Well, I'll be. You really did paint it."   
  
Kaede nodded. "My first year exam piece."   
  
The male assassin strode across the room, leaning over Kaede, his face extremely close to hers. "Why don't you teach me how to do it eh? Say… with you as a model?" He flashed a winning smile. "Preferably undressed?"   
  
Kaede calmly swiped his legs out from under him, causing him to land in a heap on the floor. "Won't work, Kudou." She stood up, an amused smile on her face. "By the way, I'll be locking my door _every_ night."   
  
Youji sighed, picking himself up from the carpet. "Killjoy."   


-~=*[^]*=~- 

  
  
_ To: Aniki why_am_i@candela_studios.net   
From: akizaki_kaede@nanyo.edu.jp   
  
Dearest Older Brother,   
  
Recently moved up to Tokyo, since my transfer to Nanyo's Tokyo campus got through. Been here for a week already, and I'm settling in quite well. I'm staying with a couple of guys, but don't worry, if they try anything on me, they'll face my wrath, MUAHAHAHAHA.   
  
*cough* Anyway, it's late autumn here in Tokyo, and it's much cooler than Kyoto. My housemates say it might even snow… Heh. Haven't seen snow falling since Germany. The teachers here are crazy. We get piles and piles and PILES of homework everyday. Well, at least the house has broadband, which is much better than a lousy dial-up modem. Only bad point is, the Internet isn't available most of the time… Computer-addicted people. Tsk tsk.   
  
If your job sends you back here, maybe we can meet up? Ne?   
  
*Hearts*   
~Kae-chan_   


-~=*[^]*=~-   


((RING RING))   
  
"What- OW!"   
  
The table shook violently from the shock, the blond man underneath rubbing his head. Dressed casually in an old collared shirt and pants, he crawled out from under the table, glaring at the phone.   
  
_ [Note to self: Do not stand up if there is a table above you.]_   
  
((RING RING))   
  
The ringing was getting louder and more incessant.   
  
Sitting on the floor, Mirai Kagaya twitched. "Answering machine." Nobody bothered him when he had cable problems. All 120 feet worth of it.   
  
The annoying phone immediately stopped ringing, rerouting itself to his answering machine. The static of his pre-recorded message filled the air. "Hello, Mirai Kagaya here. Not in right now, leave a message at the beep, and I'll get back to you." ((beep))   
  
"Blitz, I know you're there." The deep, but still feminine voice chided him from the answering machine.   
  
Kagaya practically flew towards the phone. "MANX-SAN!?" He said in surprise, hitting the speaker button.   
  
The voice on the other end of the phone sighed. "Who else?"   
  
"I don't know… Some female senior who would like to kill me for getting higher marks than her?" Kagaya joked, sitting cross-legged back down on the floor.   
  
Manx laughed. "It's your fault for writing such a good program… as a reminder, Kritiker has dibs on the buying of that software."   
  
"Hai, hai…I know that. Any other reason why you called me today?"   
  
"Yes." Manx's voice sobered up, and Kagaya could recognize the tone she took whenever she was handing out a new mission. "We need you to check up on a group of people. Find out if they're alive, where they currently are, and see if you can get any recent photos of them."   
  
Kagaya slumped. Another information gathering task. The computer next to him opened up a notepad window, ready to take down the names of the targets in question.   
  
"The first one is Crawford, Brad or Bradley, we're not very sure. Codename Oracle, American, black hair, around 27 years of age. Precognition. Second one is Schuldich; German, long, red hair, early twenties, codename Mastermind, telepathy. Third one is Farfarello, Irish, also early twenties. He has white hair, and his codename is Berserker. Check around a few mental institutions, you might find him there. Fourth one is Naoe Nagi, Japanese. He has brown hair, fifteen years of age, codename Prodigy, and his power is telekinesis. Their team name is Schwarz, originally under Estet."   
  
Kagaya frowned. "Wait… Didn't Estet blow itself up, or something like that?"   
  
"They did, we just want to know if these four are alive."   
  
Kagaya blinked, his computer already connected to the Internet and waiting patiently for Google's servers to keep up with its speed. "Do I have job competition, Manx?"   
  
"Blitz, we're going to remove them if they're alive. Your job is quite safe."   
  
The MIT undergrad twitched. "O…kay…" Remove, in Kritiker speak, meant kill, assassinate, or annihilate, depending on how dangerous you were. Computer #1 had already accessed Naoe Nagi's school files, Computer #2 was connecting to the Internet, and Computer #3 was finishing booting up, but sadly, Computer #4 was currently out of order.   
  
"Goodbye, Blitz."   
  
"Goodbye, Manx-san." The phone's speaker button winked out.   
  
Kagaya sat on the floor of his room, the four computers he owned adorning the tables surrounding him. The room was silent except for the sound of three computers typing, and the occasional whir of machinery. He let his eyes go out of focus for a while, finally focusing back onto Computer #1's keyboard, watching the keys depress at his will. Stretching, he stood back up and went off to get a cup of coffee.   
  
"I'm just glad I'm not an assassin."   


-~=*[^]*=~-   


"Tadaima." Kaede called out as she let herself into the house. Carefully, she put the camera the school had loaned her onto a high shelf, making sure it was out of harm's way. Dumping her bags in a corner, she walked over to the kitchen, pulling open a cupboard and rummaging around for the pack of green tea she had put there yesterday.   
  
Omi poked his out from around the wall that separated the living room from the kitchen, smiling a genki smile at her. "Ah, welcome back." He motioned to the stove with his head. "There's some ramen if you're hungry, just warm it up." His head disappeared back behind the wall.   
  
Kaede walked out to the living room, holding her mug of green tea in one hand and lugging her school bag in the other. "Iie, I had lunch in school." She stopped in her tracks and stared at the pile of thick account books sitting on the table where Omi was doing his homework.   
  
"Oh yes." Omi pointed to the account books. "Aya-kun was wondering if you could do the accounts." He chibied and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, more like ordered you to do the accounts."   
  
Kaede stared at the pile in shock. "You can't be serious."   
  
"Dead serious." Omi smiled and went back to his math homework.   
  
"But my math is lousy! I'll probably mess it up." She gaped open-mouthed at the stack. Images of Aya giving the Glare of Death to the other members of Weiss came unbidden to her mind.   
  
Omi shrugged. "If you want to, you can swap with me. I'm doing all of the flower arrangement orders."   
  
Kaede brightened visibly. "Okay! How many orders are there?"   
  
"Thirty-seven. Fourteen of which must be completed by tomorrow." Omi stated in a matter-of-fact voice, filling in the answer to the math question.   
  
Well, it was the lesser of the two evils. Kaede sat down and started pulling her homework out of her file, muttering darkly all the way.   


-~=*[^]*=~-   


(Aya's Point of View)   
  
Stupid, crazy fangirls. Well, at least most of them have gone home by now. You'd think they'd have some other things to do rather than drool over us all day.   
  
Omi's upstairs doing homework, and Kudou… Well, Kudou is skiving as per normal, so that leaves Ken and me alone in the shop. Plus a few fangirls and the plants.   
  
"Hey, Aya!" Ken smiles at me from where he's watering some gentians. "I'm buying some Donburi for dinner later, that okay with you?" Another dazzling smile.   
  
I give a non-committable mutter, intent on working the register. The customer, one of those crazy schoolgirls – surprise, surprise, they're _actually_ buying something – smiles sickeningly at me before waltzing out of the shop. Really. How can they claim to love me, when none of them have even spoken to me? I slide shut the register, and catch Ken looking at me out of the corner of his eye. But as soon as my gaze lands fully onto him, he resumes watering the flowers, fidgeting nervously. He may even be blushing, but I can't tell, since he's on the other side of the shop.   
  
There's a temporary lull in the business, since the aforementioned schoolgirls have finally packed up and gone home. There aren't any other customers since it's not yet 5 o'clock, the end of work for those with desk jobs. Ken has put away the hose, and has started sweeping the floor. It's actually quiet for once, the only sound being the swish of the broom as Ken sweeps, and the faint ringing of the wind chime from outside the shop.   
  
The afternoon sunlight highlights his hair, and the backdrop of the gentians brings out the colour of his eyes nicely. I don't know why, but I feel more comfortable around Ken than anybody else. Maybe it's because he understands that I'm not a talkative person, and doesn't engage me in conversation just for the sake of talking, letting me be alone with my thoughts.   
  
Maybe it's because when I had just joined Weiss, Ken was the only one who didn't treat me as "the new guy", didn't put up any guards against me. After all, socking someone in the face the first time you meet isn't how a normal person would treat a stranger they would be working with. He told me flat out what he though of me, unlike Omi and Youji who hovered around for a few days before finally accepting me as part of Weiss.   
  
Maybe it's because he's always been nice to me even though he doesn't need to. Like how he'll ask me if I want a drink after a long day in the shop, or how he'll volunteer to help patch me up after missions, or how he'll ask me what I want for dinner, like just now. Even though I've refused and snubbed him so many times, he continues asking. It's not that Omi and Youji aren't nice to me, but with Ken it seems as if he really wants to know if I'm comfortable, not just asking since he's my team mate, co-worker and housemate.   
  
Ken has always been a mystery. It's hard to believe that the Siberian who works with me on a mission is the same person as Hidaka Ken. Sure, they have the same fluidity of movement, the same sensation of being a coiled spring, the same vivaciousness and zest for life (though Siberian's sense of balance, sadly, is often lacking in Ken). But Ken… Ken is trusting, caring, warm-hearted… He's just, well, _Ken_. Not like an assassin at all. But this still doesn't explain why I get this feeling in the middle of my chest every time I'm with him; this warm, relaxing feeling that makes me feel almost…   
  
Happy.   
  
I thought I'd left happiness behind me a long time ago when Aya was knocked down. Without her, it was as if all the colour had gone out of my world, leaving me with black, white, and monotone grey. Eventually I added another two colours, the silver of a blade and the crimson of spilt blood.   
  
But now… the colour is slowly seeping back into my life. Aya is back, bringing with her the yellow of a summer day, the lime green of a dress, the crystal sparkle of laughter and the pink of health renewed.   
  
But for the deep blue of a pair of eyes, the scarlet hue of a blush, the tan of skin brown from the sun… It was Ken who had brought these colours back into my life, with his smiles and warmth. The incessant burning of his passion clashed with the cold barrier I had hidden myself behind, and slowly, he wormed his way through behind the barrier. This still doesn't explain the feeling I get every time I look at him, each time I catch him looking at me. Maybe it's because he understands me. Maybe it's because he cared. Maybe it's because he never gave up no matter how many times I was horrible to him.   
  
Maybe it's because… I love him.   
  
Do I? Do I love him?   


-~=*[^]*=~- 

  
"Braaaaaaaaaaaaaaad! I'm bored!" Schuldich whined as he flopped down onto the table in front of the said precognitive.   
  
Brad Crawford looked down at the German through his glasses, which was quite a feat since he was sitting on a chair and Schuldich was sitting on his worktable. "I predicted you were coming." He said calmly.   
  
"Oh? And you did nothing to stop me?" Schuldich smiled cockily back at the American.   
  
"I docked your pay." Crawford replied very calmly.   
  
_//No you didn't.//_ Schuldich smiled again after checking through Crawford's mind.   
  
"But I will." Crawford pointed to the door. "Out."   
  
Schuldich stood up properly, putting his hands into his pockets and sauntering towards the door. "Fine, fine… Are you using the Internet?" He asked, pausing in the doorway.   
  
"No. Now stop bothering me."   
  
"Even if I'm going to use your email and send porn to your business associates?"   
  
"You don't know my email password."   
  
There was a short pause. "Well, I do now Braddy-kins. Honestly, using NASDAQ's closing index on your birthday _really_ isn't original."   
  
"I'll dock all of your pay."   
  
"_Mach! Du traust dich ja nicht!_" Schuldich stuck out his tongue and left the room, noisily closing the door behind him.   
  
Brad ignored the German and went back to his work.   


-~=*[^]*=~-   
  
_ [1] Mach! Du traust dich ja nicht! – [German] Do your worst! I dare you!_   
  
-~=*[^]*=~- 

  
"You shouldn't annoy him, you know." Farfarello sat on the couch, calmly cleaning his knives. They looked so pretty when the light reflected off them. "He'll just get mad."   
  
Schuldich paused, the door to his room half open, the golden sunlight making a halo as it shone through his hair. "That's between him and me."   
  
Farfarello shrugged. "Whatever."   
  
The door slid shut silently.   


-~=*[^]*=~- 

  
_ To: Kaede akizaki_Kaede@nanyo.edu.jp From: why_am_i@candela_studios.net   
  
Dearest, most-huggablest, Kae-chan,   
  
You're staying with a couple of GUYS!? You sure that's safe… If they do anything to you, I'll help you give it to them. As for meeting up… I'm not sure if I'll be in Tokyo anytime soon…   
  
_ The typist's fingers paused. How he did hate to lie to her. But it was a necessary lie…   
  
_ Be careful when you come back at night, sister. The streets of Tokyo aren't as safe as those of Kyoto. The prices are also much higher. If you need any money to supplement those that you earn, just drop me a mail. Wish you success in finding another part-time job here in Tokyo… competition is stiff.   
  
Yes, it occasionally does snow up there in Tokyo. Hopefully it will snow this year.   
  
Love,  
Aniki _  


-~=*[^]*=~- 

  
"Weiss, deny the dark beasts their tomorrows." The computer-generated video of Persia winked out, leaving the basement in total darkness.   
  
Manx flipped the light switch. "Who's in?"   
  
All of Weiss accepted the mission, including Kaede. Manx handed them the manila folders containing further information, waiting to see how Kaede would fit into the mission plan.   
  
Omi had rapidly digested the information provided. It was a relatively simple mission, get in, finish off the target, and get out. The building plans were provided as well, including the route the guards would normally take. The targets were staying late so they could meet each other in private, making it even easier for Weiss due to the lack of innocent bystanders.   
  
Bombay turned to the newest addition to their team, looking thoughtful. "Kaede, what do you normally do during missions?"   
  
"I reconnoiter the place. I normally go in first and make sure the place is secure for the rest of the team to follow, then fall back and act as rearguard for the rest of the mission, as well as continuing the check the parameters." Kaede's brow wrinkled as she though. "I can finish a hundred square meters in about two or three minutes."   
  
"Mm." Omi continued looking at the data. She was much faster than him at doing recon, and it would certainly lighten the load for the other three. He tapped his fingers on his chin, his mind already working out the fastest escape route. "Okay, here's the plan."   
  
Weiss gathered around him, looking at the copy of the building plans Omi had put on the table. "Tsubasa will secure the area as we progress to the seventh level where the meeting will be taking place. Abyssinian and Siberian will take this route," he traced the route on the plans, "with Balinese covering them while I take out the security system. When Tsubasa has confirmed that the seventh level is secure, Abyssinian and Siberian will move in and finish off the targets while I progress to level five. Tsubasa will re-secure level six, and you all will move down to level five where Tsubasa and I will rendezvous before continuing to secure the escape route. Balinese will secure the rear. Everything okay?"   
  
Watching Weiss nod, Manx felt some of her fears ease. Tsubasa would fit in well with Weiss, her speed easily helping them. Bombay was also shaping up nicely, becoming a great agent for Kritiker.   
  
"Good luck, Weiss," She called out as she left the house, smiling her enigmatic smile.   


-~=*[ To Be Continued ]*=~- 

  
Translations:  
Aniki – [Japanese] Older brother   
Blitz – [German] Lightning, in this case Mirai Kagaya's codename.  
Tadaima – [Japanese] A greeting used when you return home.  
Iie – [Japanese] No  
Donburi – [Japanese] A Japanese dish.  
Mach! Du traust dich ja nicht! - [German] Do your worst! I dare you!  
  
  
……..I sincerely hoped you all like the Aya sap. According to my beta, it's stupendous, but I still feel like committing seppuku or something… I don't believe I wrote that! *goes off to hide*   
  
And Happy (belated) Birthday to Ran-kun!!!!! *Shoves him and Ken into a closet and locks door* Tee hee. The whole of Friday all I heard from the rest of the Weiss-addicted bunch was that it was Ran's birthday… ^_^   
  
Oh yes, I'm thinking of mailing everyone when my next chapter comes out, so if you want to receive notification, tell me in your review! And sign in or leave your email addy!   
  
I'm thinking of writing a RanKen oneshot for Ran's birthday, but it might take a few days… or weeks… or months…   
  
_ Ran: *Draws Katana* _  
  
Err, okay, days then… *walks backwards* So watch out for it…   
  
Oh yes. About the song for this chapter… I think it should be Ran's themesong. Seriously. ^_^ It's really good. (A1 rockkkkkkkk… Sorry. ^_^;;;)   
  
Well, see y'all soon… I hope… and I really will try to write faster! I promise! ^_^;;;   
  
~Draconsis, 3.50pm, 5th July 2003   
† † † †  
Youji: Ah, looks like I can't go to that new club, Ixora. Dang, heard that a lot of girls went there.  
Omi: YOUJI~~~! Baka. It's a mission! Take it seriously!  
Ken: *thinking* I've been paired up with _Aya_.  
Aya: …Hn.  
  
  
Weiss: It's mission time.   
  
Schuldich: Press the "submit review button". You know you want to. *Sexy smile*  
† † † † 


End file.
